Everton outclass wasteful Palace in Premier League opener

Report and free match highlights as goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry gave Everton their first opening-weekend win for five years; Pierre Sage suffers defeat on his debut as Crystal Palace manager

Everton made a winning start to the new Premier League campaign by beating Crystal Palace 2-0 thanks to classy goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry.

David Moyes's side ruthlessly punished their visitors, under the new charge of Frenchman Pierre Sage, for a series of missed opportunities, scoring either side of the break to register their first opening-weekend win for five years.

Both goals were symptomatic of a team maturing under the influence of wily Moyes. The Everton boss entrusted 19-year-old Harrison Armstrong with a midfield role alongside new signing Hayden Hackney. Armstrong was involved in the first goal and Hackney connected to a superb second.

Armstrong's hustle turned the ball over for Dewsbury-Hall to jinx inside Chris Richards and pick out the far corner just before half-time. Shortly after the break, Hackney's quick thinking from a free-kick got Iliman Ndiaye away and he picked out Barry with a stunning cross.

"Everton did a professional job. Armstrong and Hackney were very good," reflected Tim Sherwood on Soccer Saturday.

Palace, meanwhile, faded horribly after a promising opening. Their conversion issues from last season continue, with Jean-Philippe Mateta guilty of spurning a prime opportunity when the game was goalless, adding to the frustration of Eddie Nketiah's earlier miss. The former Arsenal forward did draw a world-class save from Jordan Pickford but failed to beat him.